Explore my personal ranking of the best archery bows on Amazon, so you can elevate your target shooting adventures and harness your inner Katniss Everdeen.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Bear Archery - 12-27 Inch Draw Length Hunting Bow
Highlight: Arrows fire at nearly three hundred feet per second.
Helpful review: My youngest son really wanted to get into archery so I ended up getting this for him for his birthday. And honestly, all I can say is that he’s really happy with it, and that makes me one proud and happy mama.
I love that it has an adjustable module system and that it doesn’t use a press. The poundage range is also amazing, and averages about five to fifty pounds. It also comes with a sight, rest, peep, and quiver. All you really have to get extra is the arrows and a release aid. Not much if you ask me.
I wanted to get my kiddo into this because he said he wanted to be like mom. I’ve been into archery and bowhunting for most of my life, and I think Katniss Everdeen really opened it up to a broader audience. I love this package so much. There’s just so much in such a small package. When I started there was nothing like this, not even close. I truly believe that my kid will grow with this thing. The more he learns, and the older he gets, the more he’s going to be able to use it. I think he will have this for years down the road!
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR (D. STEELE):
I got my son a cheap bow for Christmas years ago just as a gag gift, when he was really too young to use it. Turns out he really liked it. And yeah, this one sucked. For his birthday this year, I decided to splurge and get him the real deal. And I’m so happy I went with this one. It really has everything you could need, granted you’ll have to get the arrows, a target, and the release, but that’s typical. He’s about fifty two inches right now, draw length is likely about nineteen, and probably pulling about fifteen pounds, chrono's at seventy five fps. I love the sight and peep, and the quiver works wonders. I think this bow might be better for my son though–as long as he doesn’t get taller than five foot eight, the bow could probably last his whole life, that’s how good the range of adjustment is.
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW (J. RIVERA):
Bought this for my seven year old as her second bow, and this is the first one that has a release. He really adores it, and all I had to get additionally was a release and arrows. It was so easy to adjust and set up too. Also, I just loved that the seller had great communication. My first one didn’t include the quiver, but when I contacted the seller, they sent it within a week. Super recommend! — Jim Colabello
Get it from Amazon now: $319.99 & FREE Returns
2. Genesis Original Kit - 15-30 Inch Draw Length Compound Bow
Highlight: Adaptable for a variety of skill levels.
Helpful review: My husband considers himself an urban outdoorsman. But me? The idea of a nice night is sitting on the couch reading a book. Still, I’m a supportive wife, so I ended up getting this bow for myself! Mainly so I could share in his interest, but also just to get some fresh air and exercise. And exercise definitely gave me!
I’m a vegetarian, so I would never use this to kill any animals, but I enjoyed playing around with this for target practice. That being said, I really don’t think it’s meant to be a hunting bow, either.
I am kind of short (and weak if I’m honest) so I don’t really have a lot of strength to yank back a bow, at least any of the bows above the young adult limit haha. Essentially, the further you pull the bow back, the more poundage you’re getting. I’m around the twenty five pound range, and I love this bow because it adjusts as you draw it.
I’ve shot my arrows to around the ten to fifteen yard mark, which is definitely a small range compared to hubby. I do recommend getting some extra accessories, like the baskets that hold the arrows in place.
The three pin scopes are also pretty great, and you’ll definitely want a peep sight, and I’d say grab one that doesn’t twist. A lot easier. Oh and make sure it has a rubber tube. It comes with an arm guard, but an extra one is helpful if you ask me. The release for the bow isn’t necessary, but I liked having one and I think it made shooting a little easier. Honestly, if you’re a beginner like me, then this is definitely the bow for you. It definitely was for me!
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND (R. HOLT):
My grandson got me this gift for Christmas after I confided in him that I was looking for a new hobby, and I’m so so so happy I finally told him that! HAHA. It’s seriously the best gift ever. I’ve dabbled in archery, but never seriously, and this bow is the bee's knees. It’s used in most archery classes to teach archery, believe it or not! This bow definitely has everything you’ll need, too. You’ll get the bow, five arrows, a hip quiver, and an arm guard that’s adjustable. Oh, and the back also has two face targets, too! This was definitely the most affordable package on the market, too! Definitely recommend! — Rebecca Klopfenstein
Get it from Amazon now: $209.99 & FREE Returns
3. Genesis Left Hand - 15-30 Inch Draw Length Compound Bow
Highlight: Ready to use right out the box.
Helpful review: Get ready to use this thing right when you open it! It comes pre assembled, which was awesome, because I was excited when this thing arrived! Not only that, but it really is a one size fits all type of arrow, and just great for target shooting!
My instructor recommended it as a family bow, and she was definitely right. My daughter, my son, and even my husband can use it! It’s not just draw weight adjustable, but the draw length is really just dependent on your strength and will adjust with however far you pull it back. You can be short, tall, have long arms, short arms – doesn’t matter. It fits! Magic if you ask me.
I will say that if you have strong little humans, like I do, then you should splurge on the pro model so you can get a higher draw weight, and you can also add in an adjustable strap that’s also removable! It’s definitely a standard archery bow. Super accurate! It comes with a built in arrow rest already installed, and there’s also an allen wrench to allow you to change the draw weight.
It’s set at the max of twenty pounds, and I ended up lowering that for the kiddos. But the main reason I love it is that it seriously feels rugged, aka indestructible, aka KID PROOF. Yep. Can’t say that about many things on the market for kids these days.
The kids are serious about it too. They want to get into competition, and they can even use this one for that! Most school programs even use this bow to each. The value and quality is undeniable, and I just love that it’s something I can recommend to my adult friends, for their use, and for their kids, too! If the kiddos are really tiny, I’d probably recommend that you get the mini, and if its just for adults, go for the pro–but if you’re looking for something right in between, then this is it! — Roy Campbell
Get it from Amazon now: $199.99 & FREE Returns
4. Lanneret - 19-28 Inch Draw Length Compound Bow
Highlight: Ideal for young kids and beginner archers.
Helpful review: My daughter just loves this bow so much. She’s seven, so it’s pretty hard to impress her with gifts, and this one is her new favorite thing. I’m pretty sure she’d sleep with it if she could. She’d never used a bow before, but now she’s obsessed. Setup was super easy, and we got the draw length and weight adjusted for her in only a few minutes. She even hit the target on her first try, just with some basic explanation on how to line up her sight. I know my kid’s smart (I’m not biased, I swear) but I think this bow is definitely going to help channel her focus and energy. Highly recommend!
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR (R. GOLD):
Really great for beginner archers. A complete package, I’d say. Comes up with everything you’ll need to get started. I like using it for fun, but my son is really aping up his archery game – he’s ten and likes to show off. It’s definitely more accurate than his recurve bow. A lot more fun, too. I’d also say that a compound bow is easier to play with, and not as tiring on the arms. Really a great thing for kids to use when they play outside. After doing research, the price is also reasonable and affordable. Definitely love this thing. If you’re on the fence, I’d say go for it!
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW (M. ANDERSON):
I got this for my twelve year old half brother for his birthday, and he just loves it sooo much. Has forced me to film like twenty TikTok videos of him using it, which is annoying, but also fun. Because I can tell he likes it. And one video almost went viral when he landed a near perfect target on the shed door. Dad wasn’t too happy about that one. It’s made of plastic, but still comfy to use, and the draw distance is adjustable. I know this stuff, because I do archery myself. The assembly weight is just over three pounds, and it’s probably a good idea to use the arm guards too, oh, and the arrow puller. The arrow shaft is super smooth, too. The target paper was laughable, but I’d say it’s still worth it. I guess I wanted him to get into archery, so we could actually hang out together. Seems to be working. He’s less annoying now that he has something to do other than bug me. And we can actually have fun together. — Lauren Foeller
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
5. IS-Tongtu - 30-40 lbs Draw Weight Recurve Bow
Highlight: Reinforced handle is ambidextrous.
Helpful review: This arrived right before Christmas, and I’m so happy about that. It was just really everything I was looking for in a Christmas gift for my wife. We’re both retired and were looking for new hobbies, and have been using the standard ones we can rent at our archery classes. She was getting into it so much, I knew she needed to have her own!
I will say that the setup was a little confusing. Maybe it was just me, but the instructions didn’t seem very clear. I confused the bow stringer for the bow string, and that was because it’s multi-stranded, and I’d never seen one of those before. Initially I thought the bowstring was missing, but then I figured out that you actually have to bend the bow in order to connect the bowstring (which was in the box!)
Oops, on my mistake. I’m old, so I couldn’t figure out how to edit my initial review, but the manufacturer actually reached out to me and explained everything. Really great customer service if you ask me. Nice people, and a great purchase. I definitely recommend it!
A FRIEND’S REVIEW (L. BEALE):
My husband believed he was too left handed to get into archery, and I was determined to prove him wrong. And would you look at that, one day with this thing, and he was shooting zombie targets instantly! I think we will eventually update him to another model once he gets used to it, but this bow will definitely go towards the grandkids who are now getting into archery themselves! For a beginners bow, it’s great. It does lack an arrow rest, but you can put some felt onto the deck to get a nice release. Really a great affordable bow for beginner archery. Definitely recommend, especially if you want something that can be used for both right and left handers! — Pamela Claire
Get it from Amazon now: $72.65 & FREE Returns